The goal of the San Jose State University MBRS Program is to carry out a program of meaningful biomedically relevant research in a manner that both contributes new knowledge and maximizes the development of the research skills and interests of our students. To do this, since its inception, the San Jose State University MBRS Program has been interdisciplinary and integrated in nature. Thus, the skills and the interests of the individuals involved have been complimentary and several of its members have developed collaborative arrangements with others in the group. This proposal is designed to continue this trend by including subprojects from four members of the Department of Biological Sciences, one member of the Chemistry Department, and two members of the Department of Psychology. Thus, the diversity of research proposed in this application should serve to enrich the skills and interests of all of the students involved in a way that exceeds that which could be provided by an individual principal investigator.